Across Africa, digital technologies are being actively introduced into public administration to make government services more transparent, efficient, and accessible. With over 500 million internet users on the continent as of early 2025, and the digital economy expected to contribute around $180 billion to Africa’s GDP by the end of the year (according to World Bank estimates), digital transformation is becoming a strategic priority. Building electronic registries, online portals, digital ID systems, and mobile services now plays a central role in many national development agendas.
Russia is actively strengthening cooperation with African countries in the sphere of public administration digitalization through the implementation of joint projects, educational programs, and technological initiatives. Within the framework of the Russia- Africa Partnership Forum Action Plan for 2023-2026, measures have been outlined to promote cooperation in the digitalization of public administration, healthcare, education, and cybersecurity.
Since 2022, the HSE Center for African Studies with the support of Innopraktika company, has been implementing a Knowledge Sharing Program in the field of digital public administration. As part of this program, training activities are conducted for civil servants from African countries, including lectures, seminars, and case study analyses. Particular attention is devoted to issues of digital sovereignty, legal regulation, infrastructure, and cybersecurity.
Russian companies are also playing an active role in a range of digital initiatives across the continent. Some of the main areas include cybersecurity, particularly the development and implementation of solutions to protect governmental and corporate IT systems. Significant attention is also given to automating public administration processes, especially in managing digital documents, registries, and identification systems. In addition, Russian companies are involved in projects focused on advanced data analytics and the development of ICT infrastructure, including platform-based solutions for smart governance and the digital transformation of specific economic sectors and administrative functions.
The potential for digital cooperation between Russia and African countries remains significant. The active participation of African decision-makers in international forums is essential for advancing these projects, facilitating the exchange of experience, and discussing practical initiatives. HSE Center for African Studies invites participation in the session “Russia-Africa: Cooperation for Digital Sovereignty”, where representatives of the Russian Federation and African states will discuss opportunities for developing partnerships and exchanging expertise to strengthen national digital sovereignty.
